Rad Onc? What's The Work Like

[alt345]

1. What does the day-to-day schedule of a Radiation Oncoloist look like?

 

2. How much diagnostic radiology type of work is involved?

 

3. How much patient contact is there?

 

4. What is the lifestyle, remuneration, and work-life balance like?

[schmitty]

I can give you an idea based on my electives in rad onc:

 

1. 8am rounds, 9 am clinic, admin, or planning/contouring

 

2. Lots of imaging for sure, but you work WITH radiologists who do the main diagnostic work and define the lesion for you. Your role in imaging is contouring the target tissue for radiation. 

 

3. A lot more than I expected actually. Several busy clinics per week of new consults, follow-ups and reviews (visits to clinic during treatment). Also at PMH you have a few inpatients that you have to manage, but not a ton. 

 

4. Lifestyle is pretty darn good compared to most specialties. Some call, but at home and not commonly called in, hence work-life balance is better than most other specialties I've seen. Remuneration is similar to other technical specialties and, though not top of the pack, quite good. 

[thestar10]

Check out the stuff posted in the Diagnostic and Theraputic specialties forum. A common misconception is that we are not clinical. We have a lot of patient contact. Our contouring is essentially comparable to a surgeons OR time when comparing patient contact.

 

Rad Onc is an awesome specialty that doesn't get a lot of exposure. People will also say that the job market isn't great but trainees entering now will have a much better job market.